


The Surprise Nap

by randomquixen



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - No Werewolves, Cuddling & Snuggling, F/M, M/M, Miscommunication, Pining, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-13
Updated: 2014-11-13
Packaged: 2018-02-25 04:50:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2609141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/randomquixen/pseuds/randomquixen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So Stiles may have suprised napped in the middle of lecture, but the guy he fell asleep on fell asleep on him too, so he doesn't think the hot bearded Adonis should be angry abut it.<br/>Though maybe Stiles shouldn't have fallen for him after, or you know, got sucked into the guy's crazy group of friends.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Surprise Nap

**Author's Note:**

> A couple of guys fell asleep on top of each other during one of my orgo lectures a couple of weeks ago, so I went home and started writing what I thought was going to be a quick little story, but then it devoured my soul and 20,000 words later I had story full of feels, gratuitous video game references, and too much time spent quoting The Emperor's New Groove.  
> I apologize for any organic chemistry flashbacks you may have after reading this. I hate that class with a burning passion. Screw regioisomers.
> 
> This was actually minorly inspired by https://archiveofourown.org/works/1120134 --College: a Slippery (and Cuddly) Slope by Keskasi  
> AND https://archiveofourown.org/works/535926 --- He Gets Me High by Talktowater  
> (I know you can put inspired works in the little doubbly-do but i'm failing at it.)  
> Spoilers at the end for warnings
> 
> I do mention homophobia, but the bitch is crazy. Also I'm a little mean about the tea party and their views but its only for a hot second.

Okay, so maybe Stiles fell asleep in the middle of lecture, but he doesn’t think he should be blamed for it. It’s an 8 am lecture. It’s a Friday. And it’s Harris.

There is no reasonable explanation for why he should have been made internet famous because of it.

Except, maybe, for the fact he fell asleep on someone else’s shoulder, and they in turn fell asleep with their head rested on top of his. The fact that they also happened to be strangers didn’t really help their case. But now of course, they’re featured on every form of social media for being the two guys that fell asleep together right in the middle of the organic chemistry lecture.

Stiles blames Scott. It was Scott who claimed that staying up until 3am playing Fall Out 3 was a great idea, and Stiles sort of agreed because he had just decided to blow up Megaton, he kind of wanted to play for a while figuring out how that was going to effect the gameplay and what he would spend his newly acquired bottle caps on.

So basically, when 3am rolled around and he remembered he had an 8 am orgo lecture, it occurred to him that his new Tenpenny apartment in Capital Wasteland could wait until after classes tomorrow and he should probably get some sleep if he didn’t want to miss whatever Harris was covering because he did not fucking understand enantiomers and diasteriomers.

Stiles couldn’t even skip and just look at the slides online because Harris was a dick and didn’t use PowerPoint, he just wrote it all on a chalkboard. If Stiles missed, he’d have to find someone in class to give him a copy of the notes and the hot bearded guy he always sat next to didn’t seem friendly enough to ask. Stiles kind of regretted his decisions to ogle instead of finding friends for occasions like this.

So at 7:45 Stiles rolled out of bed, threw on another pair of sweat pants and a slightly cleaner shirt and headed to the Chem building. By 7:59 he was in his seat next to hot bearded guy, and by 8:27 he was asleep on said hot bearded guy’s shoulder.

 After that he’s not really sure what happened. He knows that at some point, Harris stopped the entire lecture to point out that Stiles and hot bearded guy fell asleep against each other, and then the entire class had turned to giggles, before starting to take pictures from every conceivable angle. He also knows that both he and hot bearded guy slept through the entire thing and it was only about twenty minutes later when Harris was discussing weak acids break pi bonds and the major regioisomer structure that Stiles finally regained consciousness only to find his head pinned to the shoulder of hot bearded guy.

Stiles had flailed his way out, much to the continued giggles of his classmates. With a lack of pillow, hot bearded guy head’s sort of bounced in the air before straightening up and the guy woke up.

Hot bearded guy then gave the glare of the century, thankfully aimed at the table in front of him and then started copying down the notes from the board like nothing had happened.

Stiles sort of continued to flail in his seat, making minute movements as if that could expel the confusion and embarrassment warring inside him before snapping a picture of the board on his phone and then leaving a couple of minutes early.

He did not look back to see anyone’s reaction. Especially not a certain hot bearded someone.

 

 **Scott** : did you know Yik Yak started letting people post pictures?

 **Scott** : there are a lot of pictures of you

 **Scott** : did you fall asleep on a stranger?

 **Scott** : is that the hot guy you keep telling me about?

 **Scott** : are you dating?

 **Scott** : why don’t you tell me things?

 **Stiles** : Oh my god, Scott shut up. I didn’t mean to fall asleep it was an accident

 **Scott** : an accident?

 **Stiles** : I blame you. You are a horrible influence on my sleeping patterns

 **Stiles** : also, we are not dating

 **Scott** : if I hasn’t been there, you would have just been on Wikipedia. You never sleep

 **Stiles** : Lies and slander

 

Stiles hesitantly checked out Yik Yak and there were about twelve photos from various angles of him and the hot guy sleeping in lecture. There were also a surprising number of upvotes, especially for the photos that someone in front of them had taken, showing both their faces rather clearly.

Aww, hot bearded guy was such a cute sleeper.

Stiles screenshotted the photo and tried not to feel like a creeper for it.

 

By the end of the day Stiles had six different notifications from Facebook, twitter, and Instagram that announced that someone had posted the photo and tagged him in it and had tweeted at him about it. If this ended up on Tumblr he would never escape it.

Right before bed he got another alert that his grandmother had shared the photo with 67 friends and when he went to her page, he found that she had used it as her cover photo.

“Fuck me.”

 

Before Monday lecture, he drank three cups of coffee before his 8 am lecture and sat in the back, as far from hot bearded guy as possible. He was so wired the entire hour, he could barely read the board and his hands shook so much that what he did write down ended up being nearly illegible.

When class let out, he raced to the undergrad library to start the reading for English, snagging a table in the basement. He sprawled out across the table, chewed a highlighter and started bouncing his leg as he read _Bullet to the Brain_.

After several minutes of reading, a shadow fell over his paper and he looked up.

“What’s your deal?” snarled a terrifying blonde standing over him. She was dressed to the nines with perfect blonde curls falling down her chest and accentuating her gigantic boobs.

Stiles stopped bobbing his leg and dropped the highlighter from his mouth onto the table. It fell with a clunk and little spit. Stiles frowned and the blonde wrinkled her nose.

People were always so picky about the noises and the bouncing, was it that big a deal? Everyone was supposed to be able to talk in this library, if they wanted silence they should have gone to the law building.

“Sorry,” he lied, trying to get rid of her, “I’ll stop.”

She leaned over the table and into his personal space.

“That’s the problem, stupid. If you were worried about being called gay I’d suggest working on your wardrobe choices.” The blonde scowled and Stiles failed back from what was quickly becoming a homophobic attack. Or was it anti-homophobic? Maybe just anti-Stiles. What the hell was happening.

“Excuse me?” Stiles asked, mouth gaping and eyes widening.

“It was a couple of stupid pictures and you can’t say you were more embarrassed than he was.”

Stiles sort of flapped his mouth open and closed for a few moments before realigning himself and finding his words. “What exactly are you mad about?”

The blonde blinked a couple of times, clearly thrown off. “Derek.”

“Who’s Derek?”

The blonde looked at him like he’d grown another head. “Derek,” she said slowly, “the guy you fell asleep on and are now avoiding?”

“His name is Derek?” because clearly that was the important information to take away here.

“Yes…?” the blonde leaned back and cocked her head, “you sit next to us in every lecture.”

“I sit next to you?” Stiles asked, trying to figure out if he recognized her. She did look slightly familiar.

“I sit on the other side of Derek.”

“Oh….” yeah, Stiles didn’t really look past Derek, he just kind of checked out the muscle movements that rippled Derek’s shirt and then listened to Harris gab about organic molecules.

“Aren’t you and Derek friends?” she asked, sitting down across from him.

“Uh, no? We’ve never talked before, we just sit next to each other.”

The blonde’s face broke out into this terrifying smile that made Stiles want to cross his legs.

“I’m Erica.” She said, sitting up straight and holding out her hand.

“Stiles.” He replied, accepting the handshake.

Erica’s smile got a little bigger. “I know. Though I was kind of convinced that was just a facebook thing. You real name is Stiles?”

“No, but if you ever found out my real name I’d have to kill you.”

Erica threw back her head and gave a full body laugh. “I’m going to have so much fun with you.” She announced.

Stiles shivered involuntarily.

 

When she showed up later that day, Stiles discovered that Erica was a package deal. After some sort of kinky witchcraft involving his RA and the dean of student housing, she found his dorm, and she introduced him to Isaac and Boyd.  Scott and Kira, who had been sitting on Scott’s bed watching Netflix, blinked in tandem at the sudden influx of people that just invaded their tiny dorm room.

Erica threw herself on Stiles’ bed without having even been invited.

“So you,” she said pointing at Scott. “How do you know Stiles?”

“We grew up together.” Scott said, puffing his chest up like the proud puppy he was.

Erica seemed to file that away in whatever place in her mind she kept for the eventual Stiles-sabotage Stiles kept expecting.

“And you?” she asked, pointing at Kira.

“I met him through Scott.”

“And Scott is your…”

Kira blushed to her roots, “We’re… uh…”

Scott got a little dopey smile on his face and took her hand, “We’re boyfriend and girlfriend, right?”

Kira beamed at him and pecked him on the lips.

Erica rolled her eyes, but her smile was fond. Scott and Kira had that effect on people

“You.” She said, pointing at Stiles, “are coming shopping with us.”

Stiles opened his mouth to decline; he had a lot of homework that he was planning on procrastinating with Bioshock, but Isaac gave him this wide eyed stare and shook his head no.

Stiles flicked his eyes back to Erica who looked about a second away from pouncing and Stiles changed his mind rather quickly.

“I love shopping.” He lied.

 

“Six stores.” Stiles moaned, throwing himself over Isaac on the bench outside the dressing room. “Six stores. Is it that hard to find a shirt for Boyd that requires six stores?”

“It has to be perfect,” Erica called through the curtain separating her and Boyd from Isaac and Stiles. “It needs to accentuate his body. All his current clothes are too big and make him look frumpy.”

Stiles and Isaac shared an eye roll while Boyd groaned as Erica vetoed yet another shirt.

“I can hear you rolling your eyes.” Erica called, and both Stiles and Isaac froze like she could really hear it. “Stiles is next. Don’t make me angry at you, Stiles.”

Isaac scooted away from him on the bench like it could save him.

“Traitor.” Stiles hissed.

 

By the end of the day, Stiles had four new shirts, two pairs of pants, six black boxer briefs, one sense of violation, and what seemed like three new best friends.

The best friend theory was confirmed on the next day when Stiles was physically picked up in the middle of Mason Hall and held over Boyd’s head for no other reason than they were both there and Boyd was convinced he could do it.

When Stiles was sure he wouldn’t vomit from the terror and the vertigo of being held in the air like a rag doll, he jumped on Boyd’s back and proceeded to give him a nuggie which is when Isaac showed up and threatened to pants both of them if they didn’t stop drawing attention.

Later, when Erica found them in the library and heard about it, she pantsed them all for not involving her. Stiles was suddenly glad he was wearing the new black boxer briefs she made him buy because his ratty SpongeBob boxers would have made a horrible appearance. They had holes in really bad places.

The boys retaliated by Boyd holding Erica down while Isaac stole her lipstick and then Stiles drew a very smeared smiley face on her chest with it. It backfired when it turned out to be a special brand of “last-all-day” water proof lipstick and wouldn’t come off without special make-up remover and  Stiles had to give up his flannel so she could get home without anyone seeing.

Isaac mentioned this was slightly unfair considering how many people saw them get pantsed by Erica, but Erica’s lip wobbled and her eyes got a little wet and then Isaac offered to stand in front of her the whole way home to protect her further. Erica’s eyes magically dried and the sense of manipulation rolled off her in waves.

By Wednesday, Stiles was nearly himself again after the horrible embarrassment of falling asleep on someone in this very room, but he still hesitated when he entered the lecture hall. He was debating between his new seat in the back versus going and sitting next to Hot Bearded Guy, Derek, when Erica came in, snagged his arm, and dragged him down the steps to the seats in front. She sat Stiles down on her left, with Derek on her right, and started pulling out her stuff nonchalantly.

Apparently life was super different now that he was sitting two seats to the right. For one, his view of Derek was partially blocked by the glowing cloud of Erica’s blonde hair. Stiles gave up his indirect staring at Derek in favor of openly staring at Derek only to find him glaring at Erica. It was, quite frankly, terrifying.

Erica looked up and met his glare with a smirk. “So Derek, this is Stiles. Stiles, this is Derek.”

Stiles gave a half-hearted wave, but Derek just kept glaring at Erica until she rolled her eyes and turned back to Stiles.

“Ignore him, he doesn’t talk.”

“I talk.” Derek said, pouting a little. That was literally that last thing Stiles needed to see because the ogling he had so furtively done for the last several weeks, was now upped to lusting, and possible small-time crushing.

To distract from this horrifying development, Stiles smiled, “And now that’s officially the first thing I have ever heard you say. “

Erica made a face at Derek, the meaning of which was lost on Stiles, and Derek frowned and focused on the still blank board at the front of the room.

“He doesn’t talk during lecture, says it distracts from the learning. He’s very particular.” Erica announced, like it explained everything about Derek. It did explain a lot, mostly why Stiles never saw him talk to Erica, and therefore why Stiles had never noticed her.

Stiles laughed, “at least he can talk.”

“Hmmm. Well, he knows how, that I am sure of, but he doesn’t do it often and never at length. You on the other hand, talk more than I knew was possible. You two make the perfect match.”

Stiles was half way to an awkward smile, when Derek whisked out his hand and not-so-accidentally knocked Erica’s thankfully closed water bottle onto the floor.

“Oops.” Derek said, obviously not sorry.

Erica rolled her eyes, before standing up and leaning over the table to look at the row below. When it was obvious she couldn’t get it without help, she readjusted her pose to make it as seductive as possible. “Excuse me.” She said to the guys in front of her.

They both turned around and Stiles watch as both sets of eyes immediately dropped to Erica’s chest. Stiles felt a little protective urge snag in his chest but ignored it.

“Can you pass me my water bottle?” she asked sweetly. Both guys immediately dropped their eyes to the floor and then scrambled to beat the other to pick it up. The guy on the left won and handed it over with a smile.

“Thanks!” Erica said, bouncing a little and half turning towards him, putting her ass in Stiles’ face. Stiles had a great view and it was a little hard not to look, so he didn’t even try not to. He wasn’t even subtle.

Erica sat back down and leaned back in her chair, leaving a direct eye line between Derek and Stiles. Derek was giving him the weirdest, almost angry, almost sad look and Stiles just crinkled his eyebrows in confusion.

Derek turned away and stared at the board and this time had a reason to because Harris came in and started writing, meaning the talking was over.

Stiles and Erica still spent the majority of the class playing _The Game of Life_ on her phone. Derek didn’t seem happy about it, but his loss that he didn’t want to play.

In the game, Stiles worked through college, became a police officer, got married and adopted three kids.

 

From then on Stiles felt like he was acutally living the college experience, he went to classes, he went home, and then Isaac, Boyd, Erica, or any combination of the three would show up to hang out. They went out to dinner, wandered through campus or in town, saw movies, played games, and Stiles just relished in the chance to constantly have friends outside of Scott that he could hang out with whenever he wanted.

For whatever reason, Derek was never there. Isaac, Boyd and Erica always talked about him, talked about things they did together, but for whatever reason, Stiles and Derek’s schedule never seemed to overlap.

But then there was dinner.

It was one of the rare days that everyone had free time, so they descended on the dining hall, cramming into a long booth. Stiles was pinned between Scott and Isaac with Kira on the other side, pressed between the wall and Scott and Isaac nearly falling off the opposite edge. Boyd sat across from Kira, with Erica next to him, before Derek sat down across from Stiles.

“She is a strawberry goddess.” Stiles was saying, waving his hand around as he talked about this girl in his orgo lab. Lydia and he didn’t actually do any work together but they talked about the lab and the basics of acid/base reactions. Stiles was maybe a little in love. “She wore Jimmy Choos to lab. Jimmy Choos!”

“What are Jimmy Choos?” asked Scott who had probably already heard this story about a million times but was being a good sport about listening considering the Allison debacle in high school. Stiles knew about that girl’s menstrual cycle for god’s sake.

“Very expensive shoes.” Stiles explained, he’d been educated by Lydia when he called them very high, high heels.

“Doesn’t she have to keep the skin on the top of her feet covered?” asked Isaac.

“She’s too short for the lap coat so it covers her toes and she convinced the GSI that that was good enough.” Stiles’ waved his hand like that explained everything about Lydia, which it kind of did, she just had a way of wrapping people around her fingers.

“Is she nicer than Malia?” Kira asked. She hadn’t actually met Maila, but Scott and Stiles talked about her sometimes. Stiles remembered her fondly.

“Is that the girl with the scratches?” Erica asked, somewhat detaching herself from Boyd, who Stiles was convinced she was secretly hooking up with, and tuning more into the conversation.

“Is that really all you remembered from that story?” Stiles asked, rolling his eyes. “That story involved coyotes in the woods and all you remember is that she scratched me?”

Derek’s face was kind of scrunched into a frown, but he didn’t ask any questions and was more focused on looking for someone in the crowd, so Stiles ignored him. Since becoming friends with Erica, the ogling on Derek had sort of calmed down, solely because he never saw Derek outside of lecture and even in lecture they had the Erica Buffer and distance ogling just didn’t feel the same. Honestly Stiles was a little bummed that he hadn’t gotten to know Derek. He once joked with Erica that sharing a nap with Derek in the middle of lecture cemented their bro-ship but in reality they never shared two words.

“You had sex with a girl in the woods and coyotes showed up?” Isaac asked, overly loud. He clearly forgot he had already heard this story or maybe he just wanted to screw with Stiles by alerting the dining hall to their topic of conversation. Derek’s face became pinched.

“No I didn’t have sex in the woods. Well, sort of, we were camping, we didn’t do it out in the trees or something, but we thought it was a good idea because we were away from our parents. One thing led to another, and I guess some of the noise attracted coyotes? They must have thought they heard an injured member or something.” Stiles face started to heat up and he remembered why he didn’t normally tell people this story.

Erica cackled. “Moral of the story is that Stiles’ ex liked to scratch and Stiles came away a little worse for wear. Didn’t your dad think that it was a coyote that scratched you?”

“And he will think that for the rest of his days.” Stiles announced solemnly.

Derek stood up suddenly from the table and every one stiffened at the abrupt movement.

“Derek!” called a woman from the other end of the room. She came strutting forward on red pumps before embracing Derek warmly and giving him a peck on the lips.

“Derek!” Erica said, sounding scandalized, “What’s going on?”

“This is Kate.” Derek announced, putting an arm around Kate’s shoulders, “we just started going out.”

Erica smiled, warm and welcome, and Stiles was more worried about that than anything else. Erica didn’t do warm and welcome, if she liked someone, she came on scary and intense because she wanted them to know who she was right off the bat. To Erica, warm and welcome was the equivalent to cold and polite.

“Come on, sit down,” Derek said, inviting Kate to sit beside him on the bench as he retook his seat.

“If I’m not imposing,” she said with a wicked smile and sat down right next to Derek. She threw one of her legs over both of his, even though it meant the toe of her pump jabbed into Stiles’ shin.

Stiles smiled tightly and shifted away.

“Kate, this is Erica, Boyd, Kira, Scott, Isaac and Stiles.” Derek said, pointing to each one of them in turn. He stumbled a little over Stiles’ name but it was probably because Derek almost never actually talked to him.

“Hi there!” Kate said with a big smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Derek hasn’t told me anything about you.” Kate leaned forward over the table, trying to catch the gazes of the three men sitting across from her. Isaac only glanced at her for a moment, Scott smiled and then turned back to Kira, and Stiles was too uneasy to maintain eye contact.

“Funny, he hasn’t said anything about you either.” Erica said, leaning forward to catch Kate’s gaze. “How did you two meet?”

Kate waved her hand like it wasn’t important. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your meal, please, act like I’m not here.”

Erica rolled her eyes and curled her body back into Boyd, not sparing Kate another glance. Stiles turned to Isaac and they shared a wide eyed look and some eyebrow wiggling. Something was so off about Kate. Scott seemed to get that too because he continued to talk to Kira and kept his gaze firmly away from Kate, despite his inherent goodness and need to be polite and kind to everyone.

Kate didn’t seem bothered by any of it and simply draped herself over Derek and started to kiss his neck, moving up to his jaw and then… Stiles made very firm eye contact with Boyd across the table and they stared at each other as their eyebrows got higher. They watched out of their peripherals as Kate attempted to basically mount Derek in the middle of the dining hall, not six inches from Erica and less than a foot from Isaac.

Derek, at least, seemed to realize this might not be appropriate and nudged her gently away. Kate went, but only after shooting a vicious smirk at Erica. The entire table glared at Kate, except for Derek who was oblivious.

Stiles twitched in his seat for another minute of absolute silence before Boyd sat up straight and reached for his book bag.

“Sorry to kill the party,” there was a weighty pause as everyone silently acknowledged that he was not the one killing the fun. “but I have to get to my study group.”

Derek and Kate were forced to stand to let Boyd and Erica out so Stiles nudged Isaac and they stood up too. “I’ve gotta do laundry or I’m not going to be barefoot the rest of the week, not to mention going commando tomorrow.” Stiles announced, then threw his arm over Isaac’s shoulder. “Want to help?”

Isaac shrugged, “Not in the slightest, but I’ll come and watch you struggle with the detergent again.”

“That was one time! You’d think that stuff would be easier to get off surfaces. It’s supposed to be a cleaner!” Stiles smacked Isaac on the arm and turned to Erica, “You in?”

“No, I’m going to stick with Boyd and tag along to his study group.” Erica said, while Boyd wrapped an arm around her waist.

Stiles nodded like that made perfect sense and that Erica totally had an interest in an economics class she wasn’t taking. He hip checked Scott who was getting up with Kira. “Hot plans?”

Both Scott and Kira blushed simultaneously, “we’re going to go watch Star Wars because I haven’t seen it yet.” Scott said.

Stiles high fived Kira, who blushed again, “well we’re going to start watching…”

Everyone rolled their eyes, expect Kate but nobody cared about her. Stiles pointedly didn’t ask what she and Derek were planning on doing.

When everyone went their separate ways, Stiles and Isaac headed up to Stiles’ dorm to pick up his stuff and head to the laundry room. They found Erica and Boyd at the door.

“So…” Stiles said, opening his door and having everyone follow him in. “What did we think of Kate?”

“I hate her,” Erica said with vehemence. “She was in that sorority I tried to pledge and she threw me out when she found out I used to have seizures. She acted like I was contagious and started telling guys about it like I was some horrible thing she had to put up with.”

“You’re shitting me?” Stiles said, dropping his laundry basket. He stepped forward and launched into Erica to hug her. “She’s a bitch.” He said into her ear.

Isaac came and hugged her from the other side. “Seconded.”

Boyd wrapped his arms around all three of them and picked them up a little.

“It has been voted and passed, Kate is a bitch.” Stiles announced.

Boyd set them down and they all stepped back from Erica, who subtly wiped some tears from her eyes.

Stiles picked up his laundry again and stumbled to the door, “come on guys, I wasn’t kidding about laundry, I gotta do it or I’m going to be walking around pantless by Tuesday.”

“I thought you said that you were out of underwear?” Erica asked, fixing her make-up in the mirror, her voice only cracked a little.

“I did say that, which means that I would be pantless and underwear free and nobody wants to see that.”

“Oh my god, I will even supply the quarters to keep that from happening.” Boyd said, holding open the door and Stiles lead his entourage to the basement laundry units. They hung out for the next two hours shooting the shit and getting in a snowball-esque dryer sheet fight. Stiles loved college.

 

It was a Wednesday when Stiles got the call. He packed up his stuff from the Library, broke into a residential hall, and marched right up to Derek’s room without stopping to think for a second.

He banged on the door consistently for about fifty seconds before it swung inward and Stiles almost punched Derek then and there.

Instead he drew back his fist and pushed his way inside the room, spinning around to face a very confused Derek.

“What the fuck is wrong with your girlfriend? Is she brain damaged? Was she raised in the pits of hell? Is she Satan?” Stiles shouted, dropping his bag on the floor and planting his hands on his hips.

“What?” Derek asked, a little short of breath and obviously out of the loop.

Stiles could understand that Derek was apparently oblivious to what the hell his girlfriend was up to, but that wasn’t really an excuse.

“Kate fucking called Erica and told her that she found the picture of us asleep in lecture and said that I couldn’t ever talk to you again because she couldn’t let my gayness _infect_ you through our friendship and we are _barely_ even fucking friends! Then Erica went off on her so Kate announced that _Erica_ wasn’t allowed to see you anymore because she wouldn’t have some _cunt_ of a medically challenged _blonde_ talking with her boyfriend.”

“She WHAT?” Derek roared and Stiles involuntarily cringed away. “She said _what_ to Erica?” Derek started stomping around the room and Stiles reach forward and snagged Derek’s phone.

“Call that crazy bitch now, this shit is not okay.”

Derek barely hesitated before snatching the phone and jamming the screen until he presumably hit dial on Kate’s number because he started silently seething with the phone to his ear.

Stiles just stood and watched.

When the phone picked up, Derek visibly stiffened, “We need to talk.” he said in the coldest, quietest tone Stiles had ever heard.

There was a pause and Stiles wished he could hear the other end.

“I know what you fucking said to Erica about her and Stiles.” Derek hissed, “You can’t _infect_ people with seizures and gayness. Erica doesn’t even have seizures anymore and Stiles isn’t gay!”

Stiles felt like this was a bad time to mention he was bi.

“Stay away from me and stay away from my friends.” Then he jammed his thumb to his phone and threw the thing past Stiles and onto the bed. Derek backed up and slide down the wall until he was sitting on the floor with his legs drawn up and his arms wrapped around them.

Stiles sat on the floor across from him and leaned against the bed.

“So that went well.” Stiles said to the stilted silence of the room.

Derek let out a humorless laugh and shrugged. “I miss flip phones. It was so much more satisfying to flip it shut at the end of a sucky conversation, now I just press the screen.”

Stiles nodded. “It loses the sense of finality.”

Then they both sat in silence for what was likely about ten minute before Stiles rolled his shoulders and stood up.

“Well this was fun.” he said, walking towards the door.

Derek stood up too but his features were pinched and he was studying Stiles’ face.

“What dude? Do I have something on my mouth?” Stiles asked, wiping self-consciously.

Derek’s gaze dropped to his lips for a moment before refocusing on Stiles’ eyes and shaking his head. “Why don’t you think we are friends?”

“Cause we never talk? Because you never hang out with me? Not even when it’s with Erica, Boyd, and Isaac. I mean we are kind of like acquaintances now, which is super weird because it happened by us falling asleep on each other in the middle of lecture, well, that and Erica.” Stiles stopped and tilted his head, “Did _you_ think we were friends?”

Derek opened his mouth to answer and then looked a little frustrated and closed it again. He was saved from trying to explain when someone banged loudly on the door and Stiles jumped away from it.

“Derek! Derek! Open the door! I know you’re home!” Kate shouted through the door.

Stiles and Derek shared a terrified look. Derek took a half step toward the door and Stiles grabbed his arm.

“Are you crazy?” he whispered. Derek looked at Stiles’ hand on his arm and Stiles let go but stayed close. “Some psycho bitch at the door, angry because you broke up with her, and you want to let her in?”

“What else am I supposed to do?” Derek hissed, glancing between the door and Stiles.

“Hide?”

“We can’t stay in here forever.”

“Well I’m sure as hell not leaving while she’s outside.” Stiles said, waving his arms at the door. “She’ll probably rip the arms from my body and beat me with them.”

Derek rolled his eyes but didn’t look so eager to open the door. “How long do you think she’ll stay?” he whispered.

“An hour tops?” Stiles shrugged, he didn’t have experience with this, Malia was always a little crazy but not stand outside your room screaming crazy.

Derek looked a little defeated. “You can stay until she leaves.”

“I would have loved to see you try to kick me out any sooner.” Stiles said.

Derek raised his eyebrows and then without warning, swept Stiles into the air and threw him on the bed like a sack of potatoes.

Stiles bounced once, his mouth dropping open as he regained his breath after the shock of being picked up. Derek was smirking at him from where he was still standing near the door and Stiles smiled back. “Dude, we are about to become such good friends.”

 

Three hours later, Kate was still prowling outside, banging and shouting every twenty minutes or so.

In that time, Derek and Stiles called Erica because she had been worried when Stiles had suddenly hung up on her crying. Then Boyd and Isaac who had been prepared to kill Kate and by extension Derek, until Stiles updated them on the situation. Then last, Stiles called Scott to tell him he wouldn’t be home for a while.  

When all the calls were made, the two of them played three rounds of go-fish, the only two person card game they could think of besides war. Stiles didn’t play war, bad camp memories.

When they got bored of that Stiles discovered Derek had never seen _The Emperor’s New Groove._ Stiles was horrified and had to rectify the situation _._

Stiles had a special kinship with Krunk, he didn’t tolerate people who didn’t understand that kinship.

They were lying on the bed next to each other watching on the laptop as Yzma got stuck in the back room of Pancha’s house and was talking through the door to Pancha’s wife.

 “All right, I’ve had enough of this. Tell me where the llama is and we’ll burn your house to the ground.” Yzma shouted.

Stiles tried to hide his grin by ducking his head into his shirt, Derek saw him out of the corner of his eye and gave Stiles this adorably small smile.

“Er…Don’t you mean ‘or’?” Krunk asked.

“Err... Tell us where the llama is *or* we’ll burn your house to the ground.” Yzma corrected.

“Well which is it? Sounds like a pretty crucial conjunction.” Pancha’s wife called through the door.

Derek chuckled before he suddenly got very serious and looked at the door. “You don’t think she is going to try burning the dorm down, do you?”

 Derek and Stiles shared a horrified look.

“Do you think it’s been long enough for us to call the cops?” Stiles asked, already reaching for his phone.

“Is there a time limit on when you can call the cops for a crazy chick?” Derek asked.

“I don’t fucking know, does this happen to you often?” Stiles meant it to be sarcastic but he kind of wanted to know.

“No, the last girl I dated was Paige in high school and we just broke up because she spent too much time practicing cello and I spent too much time practicing basketball. We didn’t have enough time for each other. The break up was mutual.” Derek said, shrugging.

Stiles nodded and pressed down the thoughts about the heat of Derek’s leg pressed against his, how good Derek smelled; like soap and musk and nutmeg, and how much he wanted to run his fingers through Derek’s hair. Derek, with his disheartening history of dating only women, probably wouldn’t appreciate those thoughts.

“How has someone not heard her? Won’t the RA show up eventually?” Stiles asked, trying to divert the subtle sadness clinging to him now that he figured out Derek was actually a really cool guy but just totally not into him.

“I think he went home for the week.” Derek said, looking like he regretted everything to do with his life.

“Well that seems like a poor choice, doesn’t he care about classes?”

Derek leveled him with an unimpressed look. “I really didn’t think to ask.”

Stiles rolled his eyes and returned to the movie.

 

Three more hours later, they finished _The Emperor’s New Groove_ and watched two episodes of _Ugly Betty,_ (which Stiles was surprised Derek agreed to). They hadn’t heard anything from Kate in a while so they thought it might be safe.

Stiles peaked through the eyehole in the door and didn’t see anyone in the hall.

“I think the coast is clear.” Stiles whispered, turning around to find Derek right behind him, way to close for UST comfort.

Derek grimaced a little and stepped back. “Awesome.” he said, handing Stiles his bag and then reaching to open the door.

Stiles stopped him with a gentle hand on the arm, “By the way, dude? We’re totally friends now.” Stiles smiled and Derek smiled back before actually opening the door and letting Stiles out.

“I had fun.” Derek said, his smile turning a little shy.

“I didn’t.” Kate announced, stepping out from beside the door, which was out of view of the peephole.

Stiles was already out the door and it was too late to dodge back in. He stood stock still as Kate advanced on him.

Derek stepped out of his room, moving in front of Stiles and facing Kate. “What’s your plan here, Kate?”

“Nobody breaks up with me. I won’t have your freak friends convincing you to dump me when they’re obviously corrupting you.”

Derek scrunched his eyebrows and tipped his head in disbelief, “Corrupting me? Are you damaged? I broke up with you because you called up my best friend and told her to never talk to me again because she has epilepsy. Then you told her that my other friend’s gayness was going to infect me! What the hell is wrong with you? This is 2014 not 1812, you can’t infect people with this stuff, people just are what they are.”

Kate huffed, “Ingrates. You don’t realize how contaminated you’ve become from prolonged exposure.”

Derek squinted at her as if he stared long enough she might come into focus and start making sense. “Well, you know what, I guess I’m already contaminated.” Derek spun around, grabbed Stiles by the shoulders, giving him a look that said this was for Kate’s sake.

Stiles nodded.

When Derek leaned in and kissed him, he kissed like it was a fucking victory. He grabbed Stiles’ face and then took and took and took while Stiles just tried to keep up and give as good as he was getting. For the several seconds it lasted, It was a little like drowning.

Derek pulled back and barely glanced at Stiles before turning to face Kate. “See. Totally corrupted. I guess you really don’t want to be associated with me.”

Kate looked horrified and revolted. “You disgust me.” she sneered before stomping away.

Stiles really wanted to say something sarcastic and cutting but he didn’t want to draw her back, and besides, he was still reeling from the kiss from the hot bearded Adonis he thought was straight.

After watching Kate walk away, Derek turned back to him, “Sorry, about that.” He waved his hand between him and Stiles trying to incorporate everything that just happened.

 Stiles blinked and took in Derek’s unruffled exterior. It was obvious the kiss meant nothing to him, that it was all just a show for Kate. Stiles could at least pretend to accept that. “It’s fine, the homophobic bitch can deal with it. What was her damage anyway, what was with all the corruption crap?”

“I knoew she came from a weirdly religious family and that they had all this doctrine and stuff, but I didn’t think that she was involved, she’s never really made comments like that before.” Derek looked really guilty, like he blamed himself for her turning out to be crazy.

“Dude, it’s fine. You didn’t know. Buy Erica some chocolates and wine and you’ll be golden.” Stiles smiled and tried to console him.

“I know but—“ Derek started but Stiles cut him off.

“No, it’s not your fault, you honestly didn’t know and you broke up with her when you found out. It. Is. Not. Your. Fault.” Then Stiles stepped in and hugged him, just full body-launched himself into Derek’s arms and held tight.

Derek held him back, kind of holding on like a ship wrecked man desperate for land. They stayed together for far longer than Stiles’ average bro hug, but he was a touchy feely person so it was cool and Stiles was getting the feeling that maybe Derek didn’t get hugged that often.

When they eventually pulled apart, Stiles got firm. “We are going over to Erica’s tomorrow and we are going to treat her like a queen after the shit Kate just put her through. Then you and I are also going to start hanging out more because I actually like you and your ways of cheating at Go Fish.”

Derek smiled shyly and nodded, “tomorrow.” He confirmed.

Stiles nodded back authoritatively and strutted away, “See you tomorrow,” he called over his shoulder.

 

After that Derek and Stiles started spending a lot more time together. Like a lot. They hung out in the group or they hung out alone, they went with the flow but they were constantly in contact. Stiles even started sitting in the middle of Erica and Derek during orgo lecture. Sure Derek still wouldn’t talk during class, but he would, when prodded, pass notes.

Though Scott would be his best bro for forever and for always, it was Derek who Stiles went to when he was stressed or bored or excited about something. This resulted in a serious discussion with Scott, Derek was upgraded to best friend and Scott was relegated to brotherly duties. Scott was totally cool with this designation and even gave Derek a speech about best friend duties as Stiles’ newly appointed brother.

It was a little hard sometimes, Stiles had bouts where he remembered exactly how attractive Derek was, like when they went to the gym, or the time that they went to the lake and Stiles spent a little too long staring at the water dripping down Derek’s chest. Other times it was hard because Derek would be so damn funny, or smile so wide and Stiles heart would melt and he’d think about how he wanted Derek to laugh or smile all the time. What was worst was that the hugging and the touching never stopped. They hugged when they met up, hugged before they left, sat pressed together on the couch or the floor or wherever else they were sitting and it was _hard_. Stiles had the perfect best friend and he couldn’t get his mind out of the gutter.

To get around this and to keep it from Derek’s notice, Stiles created a system: if things got too close, he got up and did something else for a minute. It helped to get away from Derek’s heat and comfort and clear his head.

Derek was straight and didn’t want to date Stiles. Asking would just ruin the perfect friendship they had created. Stiles could do this, Stiles could be platonic.

One Friday at about nine at night Stiles showed up at Derek’s door.

“Dude, I’ve been sexiled, please let me stay here.”

Derek just laughed and let him in. “Scott and Kira?”

“Obviously. They were super embarrassed about it too. They were blushing so hard I figured it out before they actually asked and just said I was crashing here.”

Derek got his little pleased grin that always buoyed something in Stiles’ chest, “I’m glad you felt comfortable enough to just show up and expect to be let in whenever.”

“I can’t tell if that is sarcastic or serious.” Stiles said, throwing his bag on the floor. Derek had a single so he never had to worry about a roommate throwing him out. Stiles refused to feel self-conscious about his decision until Derek actually told him it wasn’t okay.

“I was serious.” Derek said, but he sounded embarrassed.

Stiles laughed and nudged Derek. “Come on man, what are we doing tonight?”

“I was actually planning on staying in.” Derek said, scratching his head. “But we can do whatever.”

“Staying in sounds fantastic. Actually, I really wanted to watch _The Other Guys_.”

“Didn’t you say you could only sit through Will Ferrell if you were drunk?” Derek questioned, pulling his laptop from under a pile of school books.

Stiles reached into his bag and pulled out half a bottle of Vodka. “You got any plans tomorrow morning?”

Derek smiled. “Nothing I can’t be hung over for.”

“Awesome.”

Two hours and seventeen shared shots later they were lying on top of each other giggling about who-knows-what. Stiles was warm and giggly and his head felt light while his vision swam. At some point Stiles thought it was a terrific Idea to give in and start running his fingers through Derek’s hair.

Derek made a noise like a contented cat and nuzzled into Stiles’ stomach, smiling softly, and it sent a spike of heat through Stiles’ body. Derek smelled like musk and soap and _Derek_ and Stiles just wanted to curl more into him and press his body down, press harder, make some friction, feel more skin, touch more skin, press his lips to skin, sink down and…

Stiles flinched as he pulled himself from that line of thought. Freaking out that Derek might catch sight of his response, Stiles shifted, dislodging Derek completely. “I need water.” He announced, applying his flawless escape method, before grabbing cups and running to the communal bathroom.

Stiles splashed water from the faucet onto his face and after several deep breaths, he calmed down. “Do not bone up in front of Derek.” he told his dick firmly before Stiles filled the cup and drank two glasses of water.  He filled the other cup and then refilled his own before going back to Derek’s room.

Derek was sitting up on his bed and looking a little lost.

“Drink.” Stiles ordered, handing Derek one of the cups. Derek took it and sipped it slowly, he was looking a little sick so the alcohol must not be sitting well with him.

Stiles dragged the trashcan over to the bed before digging out Derek’s stock of Tylenol and putting four pills on the counter for the two of them in the morning. He put the remaining glass of water next to them and then turned to Derek. “Can I borrow a pillow?”

Derek furrowed his super expressive eyebrows; those things could practically have entire conversations. Stiles briefly wondered if they talked to themselves and then he started giggling as he imagined it happening.

Derek who had no idea what was happening started giggling too before reaching out and grabbing Stiles around the waist and pulling him onto the bed.

“You don’t have to sleep on the floor, we can just share the bed.” Derek said, rolling his body to get under the covers without sitting up.

Stiles hesitated, it was bad enough sharing space with Derek when he was awake, but when he was asleep he couldn’t control himself. But then Derek rolled a little to look at Stiles and gave him this horrible self-concious, unsure look and Stiles caved.

“K.” Stiles shrugged, acting like he was too drunk to care too much. Stiles sighed to himself and accepting the inevitable: he wouldn’t turn down sharing a bed with Derek, no matter how platonic.

Stiles wiggled under the covers too and then shuffled a bit, too uncomfortable in his jeans.

“I can’t sleep like this, dude.” Stiles said and felt Derek shuffle a bit so he was father away and possibly better able to look at Stiles.

“Sleep like what?” Derek asked, but his words sounded careful, like he was afraid of something.

“My jeans are practically choking the blood flow to my legs. I gotta take them off.”

“Oh,” Derek said and he stiffened before relaxing quickly. “Then take them off.”

Stiles didn’t have to be told twice, and started stripping out of his jeans without getting up from under the covers. When he finally had his pants off and was all settled in bed again he moved his leg to get more comfortable and it rasped against the jeans Derek was still wearing.

“Okay, no, I can’t not be wearing jeans if you are still wearing jeans.”

“Are you trying to get me out of my pants?” Derek asked, his voice had a flirty lilt to it and Stiles just laughed because there was no way Derek knew that the raspy sound of his voice sent heat to pool in the bottom of Stiles’ stomach.

Stiles embraced “the bro” to keep himself from flirting back, and to prematurely negate the eventual pain of being shut down when Derek got bored or uncomfortable playing gay chicken. “Naw, man, I just can’t sleep with jean less than six inches from me.” He kept his tone joking and friendly and as far from flirty as possible.

Derek didn’t respond, just lifted his hips up to pull his jeans off without getting up. Stiles had to look away to keep his excitement tampered because the thought of Derek stripping while lying next to him was almost too much. Stiles just had to remind himself that that wasn’t what Derek wanted and there was no way in hell Stiles was going to make him uncomfortable and risk their friendship.

When Derek settled again, Stiles wiggled around trying to get comfortable before thinking _screw it_ and just flopping over Derek putting his head on Derek’s shoulder. If they were going to do this, they were going all the way.

Derek looked down at his without lifting his head too much, Stiles appreciated that he wasn’t getting dislodged.

“What are you doing?” Derek asked.

Stiles didn’t pull back but he kind of wanted to. “I’m a cuddler. I was pretty sure you were aware I was a cuddler.”

“Oh.” Derek said, but he sounded almost disappointed, “Hold on.”

Derek did dislodge Stiles this time, in order to flip onto his side with his back to Stiles.

Stiles felt cold for a moment, drawing away from the obvious dismissal, but Derek reached back and grabbed Stiles’ arm, bringing it over his middle and suddenly they were spooning.

Stiles readjusted so he was pressed against Derek and he nuzzled Derek’s neck. Derek melted back into him and pulled Stiles’ arm tighter across his waist.

“This is awesome.” Stiles whispered, “It’s nice to be the big spoon for a change, Malia always made me be the little spoon.”

At the mention of it Derek stiffened, but Stiles just patted his stomach absently.

“It was fine, I’m okay with both and everything in between; I’m an indiscriminate cuddler.” Stiles murmured into Derek’s neck and he thought he felt Derek shiver a little but the guy was too stiff for much movement of any kind.

“Was Malia the last person you dated?” Derek asked, still holding himself just a little away from Stiles’ body.

“She was the last person I achieved committed relationship level with, but I’ve dated a lot of people since. Mostly just one or two dates each; they never seem interested in more.” Stiles was pretty convinced it was his own fault, when he started college he had been so desperate for friends he scared everyone off, both boys and girls. Once he had Erica, Isaac, and Boyd he was less desperate but also less interested. He dated less and talked too much about the gang instead of focusing on his date.

Once he and Derek became close, he hadn’t felt an interest in seeing anyone else at all.

“They’re idiots if they don’t see how amazing you are.” Derek said, relaxing incrementally.

“That’s nice of you to say, but since you’re not going to sleep with me, there is no reason for you to suck up to me.”

Derek broke Stiles’ hold on him and flipped over so he could look Stiles in the eye. “I’m serious, you are the most amazing person. You’re kind and sassy with Erica, you’re brotherly and easy-going with Isaac, you’re boisterous and frank with Boyd, and you are always around when I need you. You give affection willingly to those who need it and you are never afraid to ask for what you want.” Derek was breathing fast and puffs of breath were tickling Stiles’ lips.

There was one thing Derek was wrong about, he _was_ afraid to ask for what he wanted because right now, he wanted nothing more than for Derek to kiss him.

Instead he made a joke. “Thanks, you’re not so bad yourself.”

Derek laughed in self-deprecation and rolled his eyes, starting to fall back and turn away from Stiles but Stiles caught him on the arm to keep Derek facing him.

“Please tell me that you believe that.” Stiles said, focusing on Derek’s eyes.

Derek refused to meet his gaze. “Come on Stiles, I am well aware of my own faults.”

Stiles mouth dropped open. “You did not... No. no I refuse to believe that you don’t think you are anything less than perfect because you are Derek. You are. You are the best damn person in the world and that is why I came over tonight and why you are my best friend.”

“I hardly know how that happened, one day we were friends because we got locked in a room together while Crazy Kate sat outside, then next we’re best friends and Scott is giving me a speech about breaking hearts and the bro code and punching me if I fail my duties and then I really realized you were my best friend and I don’t fucking know how it happened. I never talk, I sometimes feel isolated and I don’t know how to ask for help, I’m not comfortable with people, I don’t get what they expect from me so I always fail to—“ Derek cut off because Stiles pressed his hand to Derek’s mouth.

“Derek Hale, you are an amazing person. You are funny and yes, occasionally quiet, but that means when you do say something it is normally insightful or just damn hilarious. You are comfortable with the people you care about, which is all anyone ever expects from you so don’t go thinking we’re waiting for more. And… and… if you feel alone and need hugs or a friendly pat on the back or any type of touch you just tap me on the shoulder and I will wrap myself around you like an octopus so that you never feel isolated again.”

“I don’t want to have to force you to do that. I should find someone I can _be_ with to give me that.” Derek mumbled, turning his face away a little.

A cold feeling grew in Stiles’ chest when he heard that Derek didn’t want the affection from him, but he pushed it away. Derek wanted a girl and Stiles would help him find one. Until then, “Well, until we find someone for you, at least you have me.”

Derek smiled and tucked his face into the pillow.

“Okay,” he murmured and then he tapped Stiles on the shoulder.

Stiles grinned wide and happy and wrapped his body around Derek’s, tucking his face into Derek’s neck and enveloping him into a full body hug. Derek sighed and relaxed into the embrace, wrapping his arms around Stiles too.

They ended up falling asleep like that.

 

Stiles woke up the next morning kind of hazy with a very heavy, very warm blanket on his back and a tinkling laugh he was very familiar with. He distinctly remembered the owner of said laugh not being here when he went to sleep.   

The click of a camera phone tore Stiles from the happy floating post-dream feeling and left him wide awake and struggling under the weight of Derek’s body pressing into his own.

“Oh my god, you’re adorable.” Erica mock-whispered.

Stiles hit Derek with an unfortunate elbow to the stomach and Derek woke up with a confused grunt.

“I swear to god Erica, aren’t there enough pictures of us sleeping together?” Stiles groaned as he flipped over so he could actually see her.

Derek ears were slowly turning red, but Erica probably couldn’t see because Derek lying on his side, facing Stiles and the room at large, but ducking his head under the pillow. As Derek shifted, Stiles noticed he was also slowly moving his hips away from Stiles’ leg and Stiles realized he was trying to hide morning wood. Stiles was rocking a similar problem.

Stiles rearranged the covers so it covered both their waists, and Erica just laughed louder.

She plopped on the end of the bed and faced them. “You guys are adorable. So are you actually…” she made a rude gesture that had Stiles rolling his eyes.

“No Erica, that’s not going to happen, can’t two guys share a bed without the no-homo duct tape line or the beer can wall?”

“Beer can wall?” Derek asked, but his voice was a little choked and he wasn’t looking at Stiles. Derek sat up and started slowly edging away from him.

Stiles chuckled, “You know, when two frat brothers have to share a bed, they make a wall of beer cans to separate sides cause their too homophobic to risk accidentally touching the other in their sleep.”

“Same procedure for the duct tape line?” Erica asked and Stiles nodded.

Had no one else heard of the lengths guys would go to ensure that their masculinity and prove that their no-homo status was intact? Stiles had certainty dealt with this crap.

Stiles was actually ridiculously glad that Derek didn’t seem to have those same hang ups and was comfortable sharing a bed with him. On the other hand, it did kind of suck because Stiles had had this happy, warm feeling all night, like he was safe and loved, and it made him hunger for more even though he knew he couldn’t have it.

Derek was sitting a stiffly at his side and Stiles wondered if he was uncomfortable being in his boxers while Erica was at the end of the bed.

“Well, everyone knows that Stiles is an equal opportunity cuddler.” Erica said, but it sounded more like a condolence than a stating of fact.

Derek nodded in response, pulling up his knees and putting his arms around them.

Stiles wasn’t quite sure what was happening and wondered if Derek was freaking out because Erica knew they had fallen asleep together. But that was stupid because they’d already done it in a lecture hall full of people, besides Erica already knew that Stiles had zero qualms with physical contact; he practically sat in Isaac’s lap for an hour the last time they all hung out and then there had been a wrestling match and Stiles had ended up leaning against Derek for the next two.

To escape the uncomfortable atmosphere that he couldn’t quite understand, Stiles stood up and pulled on his jeans from the night before.

Once he buttoned them, he stretched and scratched his revealed belly only to relax and find both Erica and Derek watching him. Stiles smiled jauntily and threw Derek’s jeans at him         before turning to Erica. “Breakfast?” he asked.

“Sounds fantastic.” Erica said, rolling to her feet and pulling out her cell phone. “I’ll call the others.”

Derek stood up slowly and pulled on his pants. Stiles swallowed hard and averted his gaze because there was no way he could look at those rock hard thighs and the sizable bump filling Derek’s boxer briefs and come away sane.

“Where are we going?” Derek asked, putting his wallet in his pocket and grabbing his keys.

“Diner on Main?” Erica suggested, holding her hand over the speaker on the phone. Stiles nodded and she repeated the destination to whoever was on the other end.

 

The six of them crowded into a large both at Lucy’s Diner on Main Street. It was a greasy, cheap place that served the best waffles. They were in here nearly every week.

Stiles leaned into Derek, with his legs throw over Scott’s, and turned to face Isaac as they talked about their modern Hinduism class. Derek shifted a little behind him, putting his arm across the back of Stiles’ seat, and Stiles readjusted so he was more comfortable leaning against Derek’s chest.

“It’s just, for a class called Modern Hinduism, you’d think there would be some readings that were actually recent, not from some time in the 80s.” Stiles was saying, just as the waitress arrived with their plates. “Yes! FoodFoodFoodFood!” he swung his legs off Scott’s lap and turned around fully to face the table. “I loooove these waffles.” he announced, “Come to me my fluffy brown clouds of joy!” he shoved a mouthful in before he finished talking.

Derek and Scott laughed at him good naturedly and Derek removed his arm from behind Stiles in order to start eating.

The bell at the door tinkled and Stiles’ looked up at the noise.

“Lydia!” he called, his mouth still full of waffle. He swallowed just as Lydia looked up and smiled, walking over to say hello.

“Stiles.” She said, nodding.

 The people she was with, some guys from a frat and a couple of sorority girls, all went to find a table. Only one waited up and Stiles recognized the guy as Jackson, Lydia’s boyfriend.

“I’m surprised to see you here.” Stiles said with a goofy grin, “didn’t seem like the kind of place for a strawberry goddess like you.” Derek stiffened next to him and Stiles turned to squint at him, not sure what Derek was reacting to.

 Derek was staring at Lydia with an intense gaze so Stiles guessed he must be into her.

“You’re adorable, Stiles.” Lydia said with a tinkling laugh. “but this is where people _go_ , who am I to contest the long tradition of receiving hangover food here. Besides, if I didn’t come, I wouldn’t get to see your handsome face on a Saturday.”

Lydia and Stiles had long ago confirmed that Stiles was not actually into her, and they maybe had more than a few conversations about Stiles’ best friend who happened to be really attractive and who Stiles had had maybe more than a few sexy dreams about.

Lydia was automatically supportive and had offered to take Stiles shopping when Stiles revealed that Derek was straight. Stiles still wasn’t sure if shopping was for his sake or Lydia’s but he had turned her down regardless. He could only have one female friend who forced shopping adventures on him.

“As much as I love you, I won’t keep you. It was great seeing you, enjoy the waffles!” Stiles called. He made the last part a little louder so the sour looking Jackson heard. Jackson just rolled his eyes and went to sit down with his friends.

Lydia looked back at her boyfriend and rolled her eyes too. “As if I would eat the carbs here.” she said, throwing her hair over her shoulder and turning away. “See you in lab, Stiles.”

“See you!”

Stiles watched Lydia sit down with her friends before turning back to the group. He snuck a look at Derek only to find him staring at Lydia intently.

Stiles poked Derek and then nodded over to Lydia, “she’s taken. See the blonde guy with the cheekbones? That’s her boyfriend.”

Derek looked away from Lydia to study Stiles before just shrugging. “It doesn’t matter to me either way.”

Stiles rolled his eyes before looking between Derek and Lydia for a moment. “This has actually been very enlightening.” Stiles said, but at Derek’s questioning look he continued, “I’ve figured out your type.” Derek froze in his seat and Erica paused with her water glass halfway to her lips. “We’ll have to work on finding someone else for you. But it’s okay, I’m a great matchmaker.” he announced with a grin. It killed him to even think about Derek finding someone else to get that affection from, but he had promised to find someone for him.

Erica set down her water glass with a sigh and Derek looked lost and a little sad, but Stiles just put that down at Derek being bummed he didn’t already have someone to love.

After that, conversation was a little stilted, but Stiles was too focused on thinking about people to try and set Derek up with. It was a lot harder to think when the little voice in his head was screaming that it should be Stiles that ended up with Derek.

When Stiles rejoined the table conversation, the stiltedness had disappeared. Boyd was talking animatedly about something that had happened in his engineering class, “then the entire project hit the ground and tooth picks exploded everywhere. Jameson threw himself the ground and laid on top of the pieces for like an hour.” Every cracked up and Stiles looked over at Derek right as he threw his head back, exposing his throat and showing the movement of his Adam’s apple. Stiles stared, entranced, as the sun reflected through the window onto Derek’s skin, making it glow, and the hazy gold beams highlighted his eyes, which were shining with mirth and happiness. Stiles felt it like a kick to the chest because he was so incredibly stupid.

He was in love with his best friend who would never love him back.

Stiles _could not_ handle unrequited love so the sooner he set Derek up with someone, and then moved the fuck on, the better.

 

“What about her?” Stiles asked, spinning his laptop around to show Erica the Facebook page he had open.

Erica barely looked at the screen before shaking her head. “Derek never actually liked blondes. I think Kate was a one off. Try someone with darker hair.”

“Ugh,” Stiles groaned, pulling the lap top back around and staring at the screen. He was mostly looking up girls in lectures or on campus, he didn’t have the heart to set Derek up with someone he was already friends with. He wanted to feel free to hate whoever he set him up with. “Do you have any suggestions?” he asked Erica.

She smirked without looking up again from her phone, “yes I do.”

Stiles waited. Nothing.

“Are you going to share?”

This time she did look at him, “I think it’s important that you figure this out on your own.”

Stiles sighed and put down the laptop. He thought it was time he let Erica in on this. “Erica, I need to find him someone. I can’t handle being with him all the time like this, it--It’s too hard.”

 Stiles wanted so badly to take their friendship to the next level, to make their closeness into something more. He wanted them to actually be together. But with Derek that wasn’t an option and if Derek couldn’t give him that, Stiles needed to find someone who could give him what he needed.

Unfortunately, Stiles knew himself a little too well and until Derek was with someone else, Stiles would obsess over their relationship and be unable to focus on someone new.

“I need him to be with someone so that I can go find someone who can give me what I need.”

Erica put down her phone and studied him for a moment. Her lips pulled down into a frown but she nodded.

 “Okay.” She said, serious for the first time all afternoon. “Let’s find you both people you can be with.”

 

Erica had somehow convinced Boyd, Isaac, Scott, and Kira to each come up with someone to take Derek out. Boyd’s pick was first, a barista at the Espresso Royale on State Street, but it meant Derek had had to go in there and ask her out, which apparently made Derek uncomfortable.

In fact, the entire thing had made Derek uncomfortable. He hadn’t wanted to go out looking for dates and had been confused that it was Stiles running mission _Find Derek a Girlfriend_ , (FDG for short) but Erica took Derek aside and explained something to him that made him sad but determined.

Stiles felt horrible that the forced dating was making Derek even the slightest bit unhappy. To make up for it, he leaned against Derek’s side while they talked about Boyd’s choice, and Derek put his arm around Stiles’ shoulder.

Stiles soaked it in because after the dating process, this would be the last chance for Stiles to be the one fulfilling Derek’s affection needs, the last time it would be appropriate for Stiles to curl up into Derek’s warmth without a girlfriend who should be filling that spot instead.

Derek and the barista, Patricia, went out for lunch on a Wednesday when they both had breaks between their classes.

In less than an hour later, Stiles got a text asking where he was, and in ten minutes, Stiles had an armful of Derek, as they curled in a reading nook in the library. Stiles carded his fingers through Derek’s hair while Derek told him about his horrible date.

“She talked about politics the entire time! She kept talking about how she followed the Tea Party campaign. How all these people didn’t deserve the unemployment or the health care coverage they got when they got laid off. Then she was going on about how they should be funneling more money into the prison system to get rid of the vagrants on the streets. It was like listening to Fox News for an hour.” Derek snuggled his head further into Stiles’ neck and Stiles scratched at Derek’s scalp and readjusted his arm on Derek’s chest. At this point Derek was practically in Stiles’ lap, reclining against Stiles’ chest.

Stiles pursed his lips and held Derek just a little bit tight, if only for a moment, “The next one will be better.”

Somehow Derek and Stiles ended up lying in the cove in the library for over an hour and then fell asleep, only to be woken up by Boyd taking pictures of the two of them drooling on each other.

 

The next one was Isaac’s choice, and Derek was supposed to go to a party with her, which meant that the rest of them could tag along and watch from afar.

Jennifer was beautiful, stylish, and currently majoring in English Education. She and Derek had talked, drank, and were currently dancing together and were having a great time. At least, that’s what it looked like to Stiles who was watching from his not so covert position at the kitchen island.

As soon as Jennifer leaned in for a kiss, Stiles grimaced and looked away, only to find Scott standing not two feet from him and frowning in a way that Stiles knew he had been found out.

“You like him.” Scott said, studying Stiles’ face. Stiles didn’t even bother denying it, he just nodded. Scott tilted his head, “then why are you trying to set him up on all these dates?”

“Because he doesn’t want to be with me like that and the sooner he has someone, the sooner I can confirm to myself that I can’t be with him and then I can move on.” Stiles mumbled, no longer looking at Scott and now staring intently at his drink.

“Then I think you need to go looking for someone else. Derek seems pretty happy with Jennifer, why don’t you go talk to someone?”

Stiles looked back at Derek and Jennifer, who were still kissing, and nodded at Scott. “Yeah, I need someone for me.”

Scott smiled a little sadly and then disappeared to go find Kira. Stiles stared glumly at Derek for another minute and then shook himself out of it, going in search of someone worthy of his attention.

After several minutes of fruitless searching, Stiles spotted a guy who was attractive and seemed to have already noticed Stiles. Stiles moved over to him.

“Hey.” The guy said. He was blonde, buff, and a little shorter than Stiles.

“Hey.” Stiles said back, “I’m Stiles.”

“Calvin.” the guy said, shaking Stiles’ hand. Calvin nodded at Stiles’ t-shirt, “Space invaders fan?”

Stiles laughed and launched into a monologue about his favorite old school arcade games, which Calvin was surprisingly knowledgeable on. 

It didn’t take long because they were both buzzed and found each other attractive, so by the end of ten minutes, they were leaning into each other and talking in low tones. It was just about to the point where Stiles was sure Calvin was going to ask him to go upstairs when he saw Derek running outside with a freaked out expression on his face.

Stiles excused himself from Calvin and went after Derek without hesitation.

Derek was leaning against the back of the house, away from most of the party goers. His face was pinched but he tried to smile at Stiles, only to have it come out looking rotten.

“What happened?” Stiles asked.

Derek reached forward and tapped Stiles on the shoulder. Stiles wrapped Derek into a tight hug that Derek returned almost immediately. They both clung to each other until he eventually pulled back and looked up into Derek’s face for an answer.

Derek just sighed and sunk to the ground, Stiles moving to sit next to him.

“She’s a practicing Wicca or that’s what she said at first. The more she talked about it, the darker it got. She said she was working on this spell that required the blood of a newborn and was telling me about how she got into a hospital to get it.”

“She killed a baby?” Stiles asked, starting to stand up so he could go…. do _something._ Beat her maybe, but Derek caught his arm.

“She stole a vial that had been taken for a blood test. I just didn’t feel like sticking around someone who would go that far for anything, especially an attempt at magic.”

Stiles sank back down with a sigh. “Dude, finding someone for you is tough. I have no idea why you keep ending up with the crazy ones.”

Derek huffed and chuckled without humor, “It seems like I can’t have the one person I really like and everyone else is just so horrible I can’t even move on.”

Stiles snorted. “I know how you feel.” _Cause I’m in love with you and you can’t love me back._ Stiles thought. “Who’s the lucky lady?”

Derek shifted away a little, “Actually… It’s not a girl.”

Stiles sat up straight and turned so he could face Derek straight on, “What? What? You’re bi?”

Derek scratched the back of his head and looked away, “I- uh, yeah, I’m bi. I would have told you sooner, but there wasn’t really a good time, and I didn’t want to make you feel awkward.”

“What? No dude, I’m bi too.” Stiles sat back and put a hand over his face. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”

Derek didn’t say anything for a moment, so Stiles dropped his hand and looked at Derek’s face. Derek was caught in a look that was somewhere between confusion, excitement, hesitant hopefulness, and something that came across as preparation for disappointment.

“You date guys?” Derek asked.

“Yeah!” Stiles said, suddenly so excited. This was it, maybe they could be together. “I was just chatting up a guy in there when I saw you run out here.”

Derek’s face froze, the expression not really changing, but almost buffering, like he was trying to figure out how to react.

Derek cleared his throat. “Don’t you want to get back to him?”

It was Stiles’ turn to freeze. “I’m not leaving you here alone after everything with Jennifer.” Stiles forced a laugh, “wouldn’t want her to come out here and try to harvest your blood for a ritual.” Mostly Stiles just didn’t want to leave Derek. Ever.

“Stiles, I don’t want to hold you back from a relationship, you should-- you should be with whoever you want to be.” Derek’s voice got a little harsher, “don’t feel like it’s an obligation to hang out with me.”

Stiles choked a little, “Derek you aren’t an obligation, I love you, you’re my best friend.”

Derek smiled but it looked a hell of a lot like he was on the edge of tears. “Yeah, your best friend. I love you too, Stiles.” Derek frowned and studied the shadows off to the left. “Maybe we should start throwing guys into the mix when you pick out my dates.”

Stiles finally got what he’d been asking for: Derek was into guys. The only problem was that Derek wasn’t into Stiles.

Stiles was struggling to hold back tears, but when he spoke he made sure it came out sounding calm. “Yeah, I think it’s Scott and Kira’s turn next, they somehow managed to convince us to let them pick together. I’ll make sure they find you a good guy.” Stiles smiled, but it felt watery and weak. He stood up and looked down at Derek, he stuck a thumb out, pointing at the party, “I’m going to go back, I’ll make sure that Erica keeps Jennifer from you.”

Stiles didn’t wait for a response before heading back to the party.

Every step he took away from Derek felt his insides were ripping apart more and more.

Fucking Derek who was everything he ever wanted, who didn’t love him, didn’t _want_ him, and Stiles was stupidly in love.

He couldn’t breathe past the throb of his heart pushing air from his lungs.

Stiles found Erica and tapped her on the shoulder.

“Jennifer’s a witch and I’m going home. Make sure nothing happens to Derek, okay?” he shouted over the music before trying to run away. He didn’t manage it because Erica caught his arm and didn’t let him go.

“What the hell happened?” she asked, pinching his arm to force him to answer.

Stiles held back a sob. “Dealing with unrequited love sucks.” He said by way of explanation.

Erica’s face spasmed and she grabbed Stiles’ other arm, shaking him slightly, “you aren’t going to end your friendship, are you?”

Stiles crumpled a little in her arms, there weight on his chest crushing what was left of his insides. “I don’t want to.” His voice broke and tears prickled his eyes. “I don’t want to lose him.”

As hard as it was to deal with being with Derek when Derek didn’t love him back, it would be so much worse to lose him completely.

Erica’s face crumpled too and she pulled him into a hug. “We’ll all get through this.” she whispered into his ear.

Stiles pulled back and frowned, before trying to but on a brave face. “I just need some time away, to—to adjust.” Stiles scrubbed a hand over his face, “we just need to find someone for him, and then he and I can both move on.”

Erica nodded and brushed away a tear that slipped down Stiles’ cheek. “I should go find Derek.” she whispered, and Stiles could only nod. “Should I get Scott to take you home?”

“No,” Stiles rasped, “I can make it just fine. I just need to be alone for a little while.”

Erica nodded before hugging him again. “It’s going to be okay.”

“Yeah, yeah, I believe you.” And Stiles wished that that felt like less of a lie.

 

Stiles spent the next three weeks holed up in his dorm. He went out for classes and not much else. He avoided the others, and at first asked Scott to stay with Kira as much as possible. he didn’t want to see them be adorable.

 In Orgo, he went back to sitting in the back row and sat next to a pimple-face football player and a blonde from Beta-Capa-who cares.

It was fucking lonely and it was his own damn fault. He never should have fallen in love with his best friend.

The irony was not lost on Stiles that the one person he wanted there to comfort him was the one who was the cause of his heartbreak. After a week, he asked Scott back, and the guy never left, he indulged in Stiles’ new favorite past times, like watching gory movies and eating ice cream out of the carton. They played video games and killed things, and Stiles felt better.

Eventually the others started trickling in, hanging out in Stiles’ dorm, but it was never the whole gang. Derek wasn’t there, and every time the rest of them hung out, someone, mostly either Boyd or Erica, went to hang out with Derek. It seemed they didn’t want to leave him alone either.

It was entering Stiles’ fourth week of living in sweat pants and hiding from the world when there was a hesitant knock on the door.

Stiles rolled up off the bed, bringing the blanket with him, and trudged to the door. He threw it open to find not Erica, who he was expecting, but Derek.

Derek who looked wrecked.

His hair was ungroomed and ungelled, he was wearing flannel pajama bottoms and tired old Henley, and he had horrible dark purple smudges under his eyes.

“I miss you.” Derek said, looking awkward as he stood in the doorway.

Something in Stiles broke, and he launched himself forward, blanket and all, and wrapped himself around Derek.

“I missed you too.” he whispered into Derek’s neck.

Derek clung to him, pressing his hand into Stiles’ back and pulling Stiles into the fold of his body. Stiles curled his fingers in the back of Derek’s shirt and then pressed his nose into Derek’s skin, trying to refill his lungs with Derek like it would refill the hole in chest.

They stood there for several minutes, refusing to let go of each other, but when they did pull away, it felt like it hadn’t been long enough.

“I don’t fucking care that you—“ Stiles choked on the words _don’t love me back,_ “I don’t—I don’t want to be without you.”

Derek nodded and blinked rapidly like he was fighting back tears. “yeah, yeah, I don’t care about that, I can live with it, I just want to be with you too.”

Stiles’ mouth spasmed as it fought between being a frown or a smile and he settled for stepping up to Derek again and enveloping him in his arms.

“Never again.” Stiles murmured. “We are never doing this shit again.”

Derek laughed but it was hoarse and tired. “Let’s do something. I don’t care what just _something_.”

Stiles giggled almost hysterically. “How about Disney movies?”

“Sure, sure.” Derek wrapped his arms around Stiles, blanket and all, and herded them to Stiles’ bed.

Stiles pulled out his laptop and then set it up without detaching himself from Derek. They watched maybe twenty minutes of _Pocahontas_ before they fell asleep curled up into each other, Stiles’ head pressed into Derek’s chest, with their legs tangled together.

They woke up when Scott came in and took a picture.

“I’m sending it to everyone to let them know you two dealt with it.” Scott said, but then he looked up from his phone and gave Stiles a look that said, _Stiles, your relationship with Derek isn’t healthy, I’m not sure I approve._

Stiles just smiled at him sadly and nodded. He was never going to get to _be_ with the person he was in love with, but he couldn’t not be with them either.

 

 

It was about a month before Stiles brought up dating again. It was a hard decision to make, but the ache was growing stronger every day that he and Derek spent together. Stiles kept disappearing into the warmth of Derek’s body only to come out feeling cold and alone and just _empty_ because they weren’t together.

Stiles had had so many dreams where he and Derek just made that extra move, just leaned that extra inch and finally, finally kissed. The dreams got hot and fueled more than a few jerk off sessions, but the memory of the real kiss, the one to show to Kate that Derek was already ruined, that’s what killed him. It had made everything about this so much worse because Stiles knew what it was like to be kissed by Derek Hale and he was never going to get it again.

Thus, the dating. The sooner that Derek was with someone, the sooner Stiles could confirm to himself that Derek wasn’t available and he should therefore stop pining, the sooner he could move on. This time though, Stiles was going to be doing it with him. For every date Derek went on, Stiles would go on one too.

 

Scott and Kira set up Derek with a guy named Jordan from Kira’s history class, and they picked Cal, a clerk at the comic book store for Stiles. Both Stiles and Derek set up a dinner for the same night, but at different restaurants.

Derek and Stiles hadn’t seen each other all day, but had been texting furiously up until the point seven o’clock rolled around and they were both seated at their respective restaurants waiting for their dates.

 **Derek** : I feel overdressed

 **Stiles** : I’m sure you look fine. Erica knows what she’s doing

 **Stiles** : be grateful it wasn’t Lydia dressing you. I have a blazer

 **Derek** : I’m sure you look amazing

 **Stiles** : don’t compliment me, compliment your date

 **Derek** : He’s late

 **Stiles** : It’s 7:02 that’s not late yet.

 **Derek** : is yours there yet?

 **Stiles** : I know we are pretty codependent but I’m not texting you once my date starts

 **Stiles** : you can’t text me either.

 **Derek** : I’ll even turn my phone off once he gets here.

 **Stiles** : that’s the spirit

 **Derek** : but if he turns out to be a serial killer then I won’t be able to call 911 until its too late

 **Stiles** : that’s the spirit

 **Derek** : you sent that already

 **Stiles** : I know

 **Derek** : I hate you

 **Derek** : what does your guy look like?

 **Stiles** : I don’t know, I haven’t met him, this is a blind date for me, remember?

 **Derek** : I thought the rules were that we had to ask the person out?

 **Stiles** : apparently when Scott showed him my picture, he agreed right away

 **Derek** : he has good taste

 **Derek** : my date is here. I’ll talk to you after

 **Derek** : text me if anything goes wrong, I lied about turning off my phone.

 

 **Stiles** (draft) **:** he still isn’t here

Stiles got had just finished writing the text at quarter after when someone sat across from him at the table.

“Calvin!” Stiles said, startled.

“Sorry I’m late, my boss kept me by talking about some new shipment order of the Revenge comics and I couldn’t escape.” Calvin explained, pulling the silverware from the napkin roll and putting the napkin on his lap.

Stiles was still reeling and confused, “Wait, are you my date?”

Calvin froze halfway to reaching for his water glass, “Um, yes? Didn’t your friend Scott tell you? I actually thought maybe you sent him after you ran out of that party. You know, like maybe you went out of your way to find me?” Calvin was looking embarrassed and confused and Stiles felt horrible.

“No, oh my god, I’m so sorry. Scott told me I was meeting someone named Cal and I just never made the connection to you because you introduced yourself as Calvin at the party.” Stiles tried to explain, waving his hands for emphasis.

“Um, yeah, they charge by the letter for the name tag so I made mine Cal. If I wasn’t who you were expecting you don’t have to stay and have dinner with me, we can just go.”

“No!” Stiles spluttered, his face burning from embarrassment and guilt. “This is a surprise but it’s a really nice surprise. I’m really happy to see you again.” Stiles said, and he was being sincere. He really had liked Calvin, he had just forgotten about him because of all the drama with Derek.

Calvin relaxed a little and smiled tentatively, “okay, I’m glad. I really liked you and I was really excited to see you again.”

Stiles grinned and felt something warm and fluttery in his chest. “I’m really excited too.”

 

Dinner was actually going extremely well and Stiles was starting to think that he could see something happening with him and Calvin. He had barely thought of Derek the entire night.  

Then Calvin asked about it.

“So what happened to make you run off the night of the party?” Calvin asked.

Stiles was startled by the question and started feeling guilty that he had ditched Calvin for Derek, so he flailed a little more violently than usual and knocked Calvin’s water glass so it tilted dangerously but Calvin caught it, just as Stiles jumped up to do the same and his phone fell out of his pocket.

Calvin just laughed good naturedly and picked up Stiles’ phone, but Stiles being Stiles couldn’t take it back gracefully and ended up juggling it for a moment, smacking about a million things on the screen before catching properly and putting it back in his pocket.

Calvin caught one of Stiles’ wringing hands in his own and pressed it down onto the table.

“Calm down, you’re fine.” he said grinning and then rubbed his thumb over the back of Stiles’ hand.

 _Oh, we’re holding hands, this is nice_ , Stiles thought.

“So, the night of the party.” Calvin prompted, and Stiles blushed.

“Umm… so my best friend was on a first date and he had suddenly abandoned her and was running out back with this really horrified look on his face, so I went after him to find out what happened.” Stiles explained. Calvin just chuckled and continued rubbing Stiles’ hand with his thumb.

“What happened with the date?”

Stiles smiled, feeling oddly comfortable with Calvin. He turned his hand so he was fully grasping Calvin’s. “Turned out she was a witch of sorts and was into doing spells with baby blood. Derek rightfully freaked out.”

Calvin looked horrified and reared back but didn’t let go of Stiles hand, “That’s horrible!” he said, sounding scandalized. He leaned back in, “Where did you find her?”

Stiles tilted his head in like he was sharing a secret. “My buddy Isaac found her, she was an English education major. That’s why some teachers are into torturing kids, they’re looking to harvest their blood.”  Stiles leaned back out and then laughed at the expression on Calvin’s face.

It took Calvin a beat, but then he started laughing too, and everything was so warm and friendly and Calvin had his hand grasp so tightly, that he felt like he did when he was with Derek, if even for a moment.

It was that exact moment that something caught Stiles’ eye and he turned to look at the entrance, where Derek was standing, dressed in a tight leather jacket and sinfully tight jeans, gaping at Stiles.

The second Stiles caught Derek’s eye, Derek turned on his heel and went out the door.

Stiles turned back to Calvin bewildered.

“What’s going on?” Calvin asked, genuinely worried.

“That was Derek. He was supposed to be on a date tonight but he just showed up here. Something must have happened.” Stiles was freaked out and worried about Derek so he picked up his napkin and put it on the table and started getting ready to leave.

He hadn’t even finished his chicken picatta. 

“Look Calvin, I actually like you a lot, but something must have gone really wrong for him to show up here. I really have to go after him.” Stiles was out of sorts and intensely worried about whatever had caused Derek to abandon his date and show up at Stiles’. Not to mention whatever had made Derek run away afterward.

Stiles reached for his wallet and pulled out cash to cover the entire dinner. “I’m really sorry.” He said, but Calvin caught Stiles arm.

“I really like you Stiles, why don’t you give me your number and we can try this again? Maybe on a night with less dating drama.”

Stiles smiled and something in his chest loosened. Maybe he finally found someone he could have a future with, who liked him and wanted to be with him.

Stiles typed his number into Calvin’s phone. “I’ll talk to you soon, okay?” Stiles called behind him as he left the restaurant and Calvin just nodded and waved with a slightly sad smile.

As Stiles was walking out, he got a message.

 **555-2764** : Hey it’s Calvin, hope to see you soon

Stiles saved the number and sent back.

 **Stiles:** sorry about all this, but at least you can have my chicken picatta leftovers!

 

Stiles thumbed back to his texts with Derek.

 **Stiles** : Where are you?

But as soon as he hit send he saw that the message that he had typed out when Calvin was late had sent itself fifteen minutes ago. Stiles realized he must have sent it when he as juggling his phone.

Stupid Derek must have ditched his date when he thought Stiles had been stood up.

Stiles shook his head, Derek wouldn’t have abandoned his date if things had been going well. Things must have been going badly anyway if Derek left his dinner for Stiles.

 **Derek** : I’m home.

Stiles didn’t hesitate before heading up to Derek’s dorm room and knocking on the door.

When Derek opened it he looked wrecked. His face was flushed, his hair was crushed, and his jacket was off and thrown somewhere behind him. Derek looked lost and sad, and he didn’t say anything to Stiles, just left the door open and walked back to collapse on his bed.

Stiles followed him in and closed the door before toeing of his shoes and taking off his blazer. He rolled up the sleeves to his button up and collapsed on the bed with Derek.

“So what happened?” he asked, pressing his nose into Derek’s chest.

Derek sighed and he slumped like he had given up the will to care.

“I got your message, I thought he never showed.”

Stiles could feel the rumbling of Derek’s chest when he spoke and he frowned at the horrible surge of happiness in his own chest that Derek had immediately come to him.

“I typed it out at like 7:15, but then he got there before I hit send. I didn’t mean to send it when I did, it was an accident.”

Derek snorted but it sounded frustrated.

When Derek didn’t say anything, he patted Derek on the chest and bit the bullet, “What happened with _your_ date?”

Derek sighed, “He was a nice guy. He was in the law enforcement academy. He was sweet.”

“Sounds like there was a but.” Stiles coaxed.

“He was too nice.”

“Too nice? Too nice? You didn’t like him because he was too nice?” Stiles huffed in exasperation.

Derek sighed, “He didn’t make jokes, he was just too sincere and too kind, and I don’t know… he… he just wasn’t what I was looking for.” Derek punctuated the sentence by tightening the arms he had curled around Stiles.

Stiles gave up and just let himself go boneless in Derek’s arms. “It’s okay. We’ll find you someone meaner next time.”

Derek made a noise in the back of his throat that sounded a little like a whimper. “Can we just not talk about it anymore tonight?” Derek asked.

Stiles pursed his lips but nodded against Derek’s chest. “Sure, Big Guy.” He whispered, patting Derek on the chest for emphasis.

Derek let out a puff of air that could have been a laugh in any other situation and then rolled a little so he was more fully curled around Stiles. Stiles just snuggled in.

 

It was just as Stiles was on the edge of sleep that he felt Derek shift and one of Derek’s arms lifted off him. Stiles started to half open one eye but then the sound of a cell phone camera went off and Stiles squinted at Derek.

“Did you just take a picture of us?” he asked.

Derek froze like he had been caught before full body shrugging and tossing his phone on the bedside table.

“Sorry.” He whispered. “go back to sleep.” Then he kissed Stiles on the forehead and dropped his head back on the pillow.

Stiles squeezed his eyes shut and choked on the emotion welling in his throat.

“You can’t do that.” he whispered, sounding more broken than he wanted to in that moment.

“Can’t do what? Stiles?” Derek seemed to realized how close to crying Stiles was and panicked, “I’m sorry, I won’t do it again! Stiles, I swear, I’ll delete it. I’ll delete them all.”

“Delete? What? No Derek, I’m talking about the kissing.” Stiles struggled up out of Derek’s arms and Derek tightened his hold for a moment, like he could keep Stiles there through force of will, before he let him go.

Stiles got off the bed. He couldn’t be that close to Derek right now.

“The kiss? What? Oh, god I’m sorry, was it too much? Oh god, I’m sorry, please, I won’t do it again.” Derek’s voice was climbing in pitch as he became more desperate. “Please don’t go away again, I swear I can handle it.”

Stiles let out a horrible noise that sounded suspiciously like a sob and buried his face in his hands. “I can’t keep doing things like this.” Stiles whispered, “I can’t be like this with you when I know I’m only going to get burned.”

“I—please, please don’t leave Stiles. I’m sorry I kissed you, I didn’t think—I didn’t _think._ ”

“Derek.” Stiles grabbed Derek wrist and Derek immediately reached forward, holding Stiles’ arm tight, trying to keep Stiles here. “I can’t handle this, the affection, the cuddling. I should have stopped a long time ago when I knew I was getting in too deep and I thought I could pretend that it was okay, but it’s just too much. I can’t go on like this when I love you so much and you don’t love me back.”

Derek froze and for one sickening moment Stiles thought Derek was going to hit him, that he just hadn’t realized that Stiles was in love with him and he was disgusted that Stiles had been so close, had done so much with him, and that it was all because Stiles had some creepy crush and no sense of boundaries.

So when Derek launched himself forward, Stiles flinched, ready to be hit. He was not prepared for Derek to grab him and press him lips to Stiles’, taking him in a bruising kiss.

For one startling moment, Stiles didn’t react as he tried to process that he wasn’t being attacked, but rather was being thoroughly kissed. Once Stiles figured it out, he kissed back, wrapping his one hand around the back of Derek’s neck and pressing the other against Derek’s chest.

Then he realized what Derek must be doing.

He pushed Derek back, both of them panting. Derek tried to surge forward, but Stiles pushed again and let out a choked no.

“Derek, Derek you can’t kiss me to make me stay. You can’t just pretend to love me back so that you don’t lose me.”

Derek made a wounded noise, “I’m not—I’m not pretending anything. I’ve been in love with you since you fell asleep on my shoulder in lecture.” Stiles froze, trying to piece things together but Derek kept talking. “I was so stupidly into you from the very first day that you sat next to me. I talked about you like you were my friend and I didn’t even fucking know your name. I talked about you to Erica so much I had myself convinced. Then that day that you fell asleep on me, it was like that stupid line between fantasy and reality blurred, and I just let myself have it.

“Then there were all those stupid pictures. I fucking couldn’t get over it because it was like I imagined it. I had to save it on my phone to convince myself it happened.Then you disappeared and I remembered that I didn’t actually know you, despite the fact I was fucking obsessed. When Erica talked to you all of _once_ and you were instant friends, I realized what a freak I was for being in love with you when I had never even said a word to you. So I went and started dating Kate.”

Stiles let out a choked sound while he listened, but Derek wasn’t done.

“And Kate worked out _so_ well.” Derek gave a self-deprecating laugh, but this all sounded like he was trying so hard not to fall apart. He was talking so fast like he had to get it all out before he lost the nerve. “but then you were there and it started being real, but real real, like you were an actual person and not whatever I made up in my head. Then we fell asleep and I started to think that this could be the beginning of something. I even had Erica send me the picture she took so that I could remember that the reality was better than the imaginary.

“Then you talked all about your ex-girlfriends and stupid Lydia who you were crushing on in lab and I thought you were straight, so that blew all of my dreams out the window. But you were still fucking there, still _with_ me, and I couldn’t get over you.” Derek choked on his words and Stiles took a step back as Derek struggled to speak. “Then you insisted that I find someone else, that I start dating, so I do, cause I needed someone, someone I could have, someone who was more than my imagination. But you were still there after every failure and it was so hard to try when you were always there and everyone else was so insane.  And… And.. the night I found out you were bi and you realized I had feelings for you, you still shut me down and told me you were interested in someone else. Erica told me to give you time, that you would be able to ignore my feelings, that we could move past it. But it took you a month. And in a month I was drowning without you and I needed you.” Derek shouted.

“Derek…” Stiles whispered, but Derek cut him off.

“I was so sure that I could pretend, I could pretend that I didn’t love you. But I slipped up. And I… and I…” Derek’s voice cracked, his eyes shining bright with tears and he looked so lost.

Stiles stood there, struck dumb from the information overload.

“You got Erica to send you the picture of us napping together?”

Derek laughed but it was a horrible grating sound, “Yeah, her and everyone else who took a picture of us napping together.”

Stiles got a sappy little smile on his face. Derek had been in love with him since before they ever shared two words, and Stiles had sat next to Derek every day because he had been into _him_.

They had literally been fucking in love with each other since the start and they didn’t realized it because they were too busy being stupid.

“I love you.” Stiles said, reiterating the important points.

Derek looked like it was a trap and he spoke quietly, “I love you too.”

“I think we are idiots and we should have been together since the beginning of the school year. We just should have asked one another out and we wouldn’t have had all this stupid drama.” Stiles said, stepping forward and taking Derek’s hands again.

“Uh, yeah. Yeah, I should have just asked you out.” Derek said, his voice still broken sounding.

Stiles stepped forward and smiled big and wide, even if it didn’t reflect the nerves he was feeling.

“Hey Derek?” he said, squeezing Derek’s hands. “Do you want to go out to dinner with me sometime?”

Derek gave him a very watery smile before he swept Stiles into his arms and planted a soft kiss on his lips. “Yes.” he whispered into Stiles’ mouth.

“Good.” Stiles mumbled, and wrapped his arms tighter around Derek’s chest because now there wasn’t a reason to ever let him go. He was finally getting to do what he had been thinking about ever since he met Derek.

After several minutes they had to pull back for air.

Damn bodily functions.

“Seven. Tomorrow.” Derek panted out, his arm still hooked around Stiles’ waist and his other hand in Stiles’ hair. “We do this right.”

Stiles looked up from Derek lips to focus on his eyes. “Yeah, sounds good. Sounds fantastic actually. We should take it slow or something.”

Derek raised his eyebrows. “I think we should have dinner first but I don’t want to take it slow. We’ve been together for months, we were just too stupid to realize it. I don’t want to wait too much longer.”

Stiles grinned and pressed his face into Derek’s neck. “Dinner first, then sex.” Derek groaned and Stiles started mouthing at the skin over Derek’s jugular. “I really want you to fuck me.”

Derek moaned louder and his hips gave an aborted twitch. “Stiles, you can’t say things like that.”

“Why?” Stiles asked, leaning back and locking Derek’s gaze before giving a shit-eating grin.

Derek didn’t answer, just leaned down and crashed him mouth onto Stiles’, making the kiss hot and desperate.

Then it was Derek pulling away and marching to the other side of room and staring at the wall. “Dinner first.” He said like a mantra that needed to be repeated. “Dinner first then sex.”

Derek’s eyes darted up to Stiles’ face which was likely flushed and kiss swollen. Derek swore and walked straight out the door. “I’m taking a cold shower. Don’t leave, I’ll be right back.”

Stiles just laughed and when Derek was out the door, he reached up and touched his swollen lips to ensure that this had really just happened.

Derek stepped back into the doorway and Stiles looked up.

“Just checking your still here.” Derek said with a dopey smile, his face flushed from embarrassment.

“I’m not going anywhere.” Stiles declared, closing the distance between them and capturing Derek in another kiss.

After much groping and a little too much delicious friction they managed to separate again and Derek managed to leave to go shower.

While Derek was in the bathroom, Stiles sat down on the bed and thought about whether or not he should go home to sleep or just stay here. He didn’t want to leave Derek’s side, but a promise not to sleep together right away would be hard to keep with Derek inches away.

Stiles had made up his mind just in time for Derek to arrive, wrapped in a very small towel that was tied indecently low on his waist. Stiles had to force his jaw shut as he took in Derek’s sculpted chest and the V of his hips which disappeared into the towel. Drops of water clung to Derek’s hair, giving him a vulnerable look that turned smoldering when Derek caught him staring.

“I uh…” Derek made some type of gesture that maybe indicated… _something._ Something indecent. “So that we wouldn’t… if you were going to stay here—not that you have to… I just—I want you to stay. But only if you want to.” Derek stumbled over his words and his ears turned bright red, and Stiles started to laugh at the ridiculousness of what was going on. He laughed right up until he figured out what Derek was saying and then his skin felt like it was burning.

“I’m borrowing pajama pants.” Stiles announced, stealing them out of Derek’s drawer. “But first I’m going to go and… yeah.” Stiles flushed and grabbed the pants and an extra towel before running to the showers.

Stiles jerked off under the hot spray thinking of Derek doing the exact same thing only minutes before and when he made it back to the room he felt less desperate.

Derek was already lying under the covers, reading some book for his English class and Stiles didn’t hesitate before sliding in next to him.

Derek immediately shifted and pulled Stiles over him like a blanket, making Stiles the big spoon. Stiles huffed into the skin on Derek’s neck and then pressed a sloppy kiss there, just because he could.

Derek squeezed his hand before elbowing Stiles to make him turn off the light, then they curled into each other and Stiles fell asleep wondering if he could be any happier.

 

When Stiles woke up, he was on his back, with a Derek-shaped blanket over his front. He was hot and sweaty and almost struggling to breath so he poked Derek in the side, trying to get him to wake up or at least shove over.

When Derek did start to wake up, he grumbled something before pressing a kiss to Stiles’ collar bone. Derek froze almost immediately and Stiles reached up and ran his fingers through Derek’s hair.

“Everything okay?” Stiles asked, pressing a kiss to the top of Derek’s head. Derek relaxed before mumbling something into Stiles’ skin.

“What was that?” Stiles asked, trailing his fingers down Derek’s neck.

Derek repeated again a little louder, but still almost inaudible. “I thought it might have been a dream.” And after a moment, “It’s happened before.”

Stiles made a pained noise and squeezed Derek, pressing his palm’s into Derek’s back. Stiles then pulled him up so that they were face to face, with Derek leaning over him.

“Derek, this is very much real,” Stiles pecked him on the lips. “I love you very much,” Stiles kissed him on the jaw. “and if this was a dream, I vote that we never wake up.” Stiles pressed a kiss to Derek’s throat.

Derek moaned and pulled Stiles back up. “That’s horrible.” he said, pressing in for a kiss. “Then we’d both be in a coma.”

“It’d be a happy coma.” Stiles said when they broke for breath, before diving back in.

Another pause for breath, “it’s still a coma.”

“How did we end up talking about comas?” Stiles panted out.

“We should stop and focus on more important things.” Derek suggested, pressing his lips to Stiles’ throat.

“Seconded.” Stiles said, punctuation by a buck of his hips into Derek’s.

They both hissed at the friction on their attentive cocks.

Derek dropped his head onto Stiles’ shoulder. “I said dinner first.”

“You said a meal.” Stiles lied, bucking up again.

“I did not, you liar.” But the words were bellied as Derek pressed his hips down and twisted.

Stiles moaned right into Derek’s ear.

“And we still haven’t had a meal anyway.” Derek continued, mouthing his way up Stiles neck back to his jaw and then his lips, diving deep with searing heat and thrusting his tongue with abandon.

After getting lost for too long, Stiles pulled back to get air and to claw at Derek’s back as his hips twitched uncontrollably. “I want to make a joke about a meal being spilled down my throat when you come, but I feel like that won’t be appreciated right now.”

Derek huffed out a laugh but it got lost in a moan when Stiles reached down and palmed him through his pajama bottoms.

“Meals are overrated, and we have already shared more than our fair share. Besides, we both had a date yesterday.” Stiles said, talking like it was all perfectly reasonable.

“Those dates were with different people.” Derek growled, pressing his teeth to Stiles’ nipple and Stiles arched up into him, accidentally squeezing Derek where he still had him in hand.

Derek groaned and pressed back.

“Yeah, but I left mine for you and you left yours for me, so I think that counts as our date night.” Stiles concluded, but had already lost track of most of the argument as Derek reached between them and started rubbing Stiles’ dick through the cotton of his borrowed pajamas.

“Screw it.” Derek snarled, right into Stiles’ ear and Stiles’ dick twitched in Derek’s hand.

Derek plunged his hand into Stiles’ pajama pants and bypassed the black boxer briefs Erica had made him buy all that time ago and wrapped his fingers around Stiles’ cock.

“Holy mother of fu—“ Stiles arched up off the bed and right into Derek.

Stiles clawed at Derek’s pants, “Down, down, off, off.” He chanted, struggling to push away the offending fabric while Derek was dragging his brain out through his dick.

Stiles succeeded in getting Derek’s pajama bottoms down as far as his thighs and started working on Derek’s shirt.

“Derek!” Stiles sang, arching off the bed again when Derek did something devilish with a twist of his fingers. “Derek, skin. I want skin.”

Derek seemed to hear him at least in part because he manhandled the shirt off Stiles, but did nothing about his own.

“Stop!” Stiles cried and Derek immediately stilled over him, letting go of Stiles and sitting up. “No wait, stop! Not like that!”

Derek stilled and crinkled his eyebrows, frowning hard, but looking ridiculous with his swollen lips, flushed face and mused hair.

“Take off your shirt.” Stiles commanded, pressing his palms to Derek’s side and pulling the shirt up and off. Derek went with it, but he looked hesitant to start touching again.

“Oh my god.” Stiles sighed, readjusting and then wrapping his legs around Derek’s gloriously naked torso and twining his arms around Derek’s neck. “We can continue.” Stiles whispered into Derek’s ear, nibbling on the lobe. Derek wrapped his arms around Stiles and lowered them both back down against the bed.

Derek still seemed a little hesitant, so Stiles reached down and grasped Derek’s heavy length in his palm. He really wanted to get a better look but their current positons didn’t allow for it. Stiles dragged his thumb over the head and Derek gave a full body shudder before reaching for Stiles and then taking them both in hand.

Stiles moaned, grabbing at Derek’s shoulder and pressing more into him. they both hissed at the change of angle and increased contact.

Stiles swore because it finally hit home. He was with Derek, he got to be with Derek for real. He was even in bed with a very naked Derek who was fondling his own very naked body.

He finally got what he fucking wanted.

“I love you.” He whispered, reaching up and pressing him lips to Derek’s.

Derek gripped them tighter for a moment before pressing back, licking into Stiles’ mouth. “I love you too.” He whispered into Stiles’ skin.

Derek changed the pace of his hand, caressing them both with careful fingers.

Stiles grunted and reach down, tangling his fingers with Derek’s and squeezing gently. Stiles mouthed along Derek’s jaw, moaning as their combined hands roved up and down, back and forth along both of their cocks.

Derek hissed and rocked forward, the head of Derek’s dick, grazing Stiles’ stomach and Stiles bucked back. things turned frantic as their hands sped up and they rocked into each other again and again.

Derek dragged his mouth down Stiles’ throat and Stiles moaned, his fingers sliding messily through precome. He reached his other hand up and buried it in Derek’s hair using it to pull their mouths together. they kissed messily, then Stiles bit down on Derek’ s bottom lip.

“Fuck Stiles.” Derek groaned, pressing down hard and fast and then coming, his body stilling over Stiles, muscles trembling.

Hot come splashed across his cock and Stiles swore arching up and coming too. He crashed backwards, Derek landing on top, and they breathed heavily into each other’s ears.

“Jesus Fucking Crist.” Stiles whispered.

Derek huffed in response and buried his face in Stile’s neck, half-heartedly mouthing at the skin there.

Stiles readjusted, pushing some of Derek’s weight off his chest and then half-turning so they were still pressed into one another. Derek moved his arms so they were wrapped around Stiles’ chest, one hand buried in his hair.

“We should clean up.” Stiles murmured, eyes slipping shut.

“We’ll get up. We can shower.” Derek mumbled, not moving his face from Stiles’ throat.

“Yeah, sounds good.”

They both fell asleep.

 

Two days later

“If you have sex in my bed I will disown you.” Scott said, throwing a pillow at Stiles’ head. It missed and smacked Derek in the face who was curled around Stiles from behind, arms wrapped around Stiles’ waist.

“Have you ever had sex in mine?” Stiles asked.

Scott hesitated, much to the horror of everyone in the room.

“Dude!” sTiles swore.

Kira blushed, “It wasn’t with me.”

Stiles grimaced, “I knew Allison wasn’t all puppies and sunshine.”

“It was only once! We didn’t have anywhere else to go because her parents didn’t want me seeing her and my mom was home. I mean… I had the key to your house and you were out with Malia and your dad wasn’t home so….”

“You had sex in my bed at _home_?” Stiles shuttered. “I am burning those sheets next time I go home.”

“I stripped your bed and put on new sheets! I followed the bro code!”

“Dude, the bro code involves not having sex in my bed in the first place.”

Scott pouted.

“Now I think it’s only fair if we have sex in your bed. You know, to even it out.”

“You wouldn’t.” Scott said, but he was looking mighty unsure.

“You’ll never know.” Stiles snicked.

Derek huffed a laugh and buried his face in Stiles neck.

Erica threw another pillow. “You are being sickeningly adorable again. Stop. “

Stiles spun around smacked a kiss to Derek’s lips. “Never!” he shouted at Erica.

Derek caught him before he could turn back around. This kiss was way deeper and a little worthy of the catcalls that the others threw their way.

Stiles pulled back, flushed and out of sorts. He went to twist back around, but the tightness in his pants made it impossible to sit on Erica’s bed for longer.

He squeezed Derek’s thigh and turned back him, repeatedly dragging his eyes from Derek’s to both their sizable bulges. Derek nodded and they moved off the bed quickly.

“We’re going home. We’ll see you soon.” Derek called to the others, pushing Stiles in front of him out the door.

“Love you all, see you later.” The door closed behind them, “after Derek screws my brains out,” Stiles half-called.

Isaac screamed “Eww.” through the closed door followed by a chorus of laughter.

Stiles giggled too, collapsing into Derek’s chest and they half-walked, half-stumbled together down the hall, unwilling to separate. Stiles pressed his face into the top of Derek shoulder and laughed as he pressed kisses to whatever skin he could reveal there.

“Stiles, Stiles, we have to get to your room. Hurry up.” But Derek’s words were bellied as he pressed Stiles’ up against the wall and started kissing along his jaw.

“I was kidding about having sex on Scott’s bed by the way, that’s gross. Kira and Scott have sex in that bed.”

Some girl passed, making a judging noise, so they managed to push apart and stumble away down the hall. Stiles pocket squeaked like R2D2 and he pulled out his phone to look at the text.

 **Calvin** : Hey, have any plans for Friday?

Stiles froze in the hallway, cradling his phone and trying to figure out how to respond to him.

“Stiles? What’s up?” Stiles looked up to see Derek staring at him from several steps ahead.

“I-uh.” Stiles waved his phone in the air, gesturing wildly, “It’s the guy from my date, the one you walked in on.”

“Oh.” Derek said, his voice quiet and almost dead sounding. His mirth from seconds ago was gone and he was standing stiff and still, not looking at Stiles.

Stiles moved forward and grabbed Derek’s hand, squeezing it tightly. “I’m trying to figure out a way to tell him that I’m dating the guy I’ve been in love with for months, and I don’t want to go out with him on Friday.” Derek smiled small and pleased. “But I have to be kind about it because he was actually a really nice guy.”

Stiles looked down at his phone and tried to be as considerate as possible with his response.

 **Stiles** : I’m sorry Calvin, but something happened and if everything goes well, I won’t be available for date for a really long time.

Stiles didn’t get a response for several minutes, but in that time he and Derek had made it to back to Stiles’ room, but they had lost the urgency from before.

They sat down on the bed and pulled out Stiles’ laptop to start a movie.

 **Calvin** : that’s okay.  At least I got you leftover chicken picatta.

 **Stiles** : everything is better with chicken picatta.

 **Stiles** : I really am sorry, you’re a great guy.

 **Calvin** : I am. Thank you. Have a good life Stiles, text me if you are ever single

Stiles didn’t respond but he turned into Derek. “We’re going to have a good life.” he said, kissing Derek on the cheek.

Derek smiled, obviously confused but he turned and kissed Stiles back.

“Yeah, yeah we are.” Derek said, pressing Stiles back into the bed sheets.

Stiles looked over at the nightstand as Derek started kissing his neck. He smiled at their complication photoset stood.

Every picture of them sleeping next to each other that anyone had taken of them, including the one from lecture, was sitting in a frame. They’d been happy together for a long time already, comfortable before they even knew each other. They were _good_ together and Stiles couldn’t imagine anything better.

**Author's Note:**

> Kate and Derek date for a hot second but she's crazy  
> Derek and Stiles date several other people, but no explicit relationship exists between them.  
> I mention stealing blood from babies  
> I'm mean about the tea party  
> also swearing, underage drinking, and sex-but I figure we are here for that anyway so...  
> If there is any other triggering things, someone please let me know and I'll tag them and spoil them here!
> 
> For a shamless plug here I am on Tumblr ----> http://burn1ngpag3s.tumblr.com/


End file.
